Dear Editor:

I find it disturbing to read supporting letters encouraging the “development” of the region, particularly from folks that have moved to the region, like Paul Columbe for example. I suggest that they reexamine their original motivations for moving here in the first place … at least Paul is honest about “always wanting his own town,” but did the rest of you select the region so that you could change it to be like where you came from or like some other place you visited? Paul and others tout that development will bring more tourists, more jobs, more taxes, and will eliminate our “run-down” existing homes and businesses … I say be careful what you wish for!

I doubt that the majority of residents and visitors want to see the area continue to take on the same appearance of every other coastal community from southern Maine to Florida. Visitors I come into contact with come here to escape the usual tourist sites and look forward to the differences that the region provides, and I suspect that so long as the tides still come and go, they will always visit here, wished they lived here, and hope the region never changes! I’ve never come across anyone who wishes we would build more ridiculous roundabouts, fancy golf courses or expensive hotels.

If folks want year-round traffic, eliminate our older buildings, and have more lights and signage pollution (like at the roundabout), why not just move somewhere else … let’s just leave the region alone; it’ll be just fine as is!

Rob Hopkins

Southport